Canoe series starts this weekend in the gorge

June kicks off the first of a three-part event at the Nantahala Outdoor Center, near Bryson City, called the Canoe Club Challenge.

The first competition will be held at 11:30 a.m. Saturday, June 15, in the Nantahala Gorge. Registration will take place from 9:30 to 11 a.m., and the cost is $5 per event. The event is designed to be a good-natured competition for boaters of all abilities and ages and a chance to learn the ropes of paddling competition. The other two events will be July 20 and Aug. 17 and will increase in competitiveness as the series advances.

The June 15 event will feature both downriver and slalom components for teams of paddlers. A brand-new Dagger Kayak, the company sponsoring the event, will be awarded after the race, along with other prizes. The winners are chosen by a raffle in which the best paddlers are awarded an extra ticket. But everybody has a chance. Following the 8 p.m. race and awards ceremony, food, live music and beer will be available at Big Wesser BBQ and Brew along the river.